Vehicle Description
By the mid 1940s the Knucklehead installed in Harley-Davidson's
first overhead-valve twin-cylinder roadster was beginning to show
its age, prompting the Milwaukee firm to engage in a wholesale
revision of the engine for 1948, the new top end giving rise to the
unofficial nickname "Panhead". While the engine's bottom end
remained fundamentally unchanged, the top end gained aluminum
cylinder heads and those distinctive pan-shaped rocker covers. Oil
lines were internalized and hydraulic valve lifters adopted, an
innovation that greatly reduced tappet noise and simplified
maintenance. Maximum power increased to 50hp in the 74ci FL model,
but the main advantage of the many improvements was greater
reliability, a factor that could only extend the Harley's
appeal.The "pan" featured a new "wishbone" frame incorporating
bowed front down-tubes, and in 1949 gained a hydraulically damped
telescopic front fork, becoming the Hydra-Glide, though this name
was originally applied only to the fork and did not become an
official model title until 1952. Harley's big news for 1955 was the
introduction of a new high-performance FL variant denoted, as
usual, by an "H" suffix. For the FLH, the Panhead motor was
redesigned around stronger crankcases, producing 60hp thanks,
mainly, to an upped compression ratio. This gorgeous restoration
matches its purpose perfectly: rigid, hand shift FLH with
Harley-Davidson sidecar. Rolling comfort, in style, for two. The
seller undertook the meticulous restoration in 1998. The 74ci,
3-speed machine has been restored inside and out, nut and bolt by
nut and bolt, to a standard that might be described as "better than
new". Rare and glorious, this Harley sidecar rig is fun to
ride.Please contact one of our expert sales consultants for the
most complete information on this beautiful vehicle. They will be
happy to answer any questions you may have, give you a complete
walk-around, and in the process, supply you with the most detailed
description of the vehicle. We gladly accept trades! We also offer
100% financing on your purchase, through only the best classic car
financing companies in the business! Our customers buy with
confidence. For over 30 years we have bought and sold quality
classic collector cars all over the world. Contact Ideal Classic
Cars, Venice Florida today!